Geauga County Sheriff Dan McClelland announces the arrest of two suspects in the 2010 killing of Daniel Swan Thursday. Mark Spansel, pastor of Leroy Community Chapel, read a statement from Swan's family.

After three years of searching, two men have been identified and charged in the brutal attack and killing of Daniel R. Swan in the early morning hours of July 25, 2010.

On Wednesday, a Geauga County grand jury indicted Dustin S. Plottke, 26, and Matthew R. Boone, 23, both of Rome Township in Ashtabula County, on multiple offenses relating to the death of 17-year-old Swan, a Thompson Township resident. The indictment was released to the public on Thursday.

Plottke faces one count of aggravated murder and two counts of murder, all unclassified felonies. Plottke also faces two charges of second-degree felonious assault.

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Boone faces one count of complicity to aggravated murder and two counts of complicity to murder, all unclassified felonies. Boone also faces two second-degree counts of complicity to felonious assault; and two counts of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony.

Both men are in custody at the Geauga County Safety Center.

"Ironically three years ago today, July 25, 2010, at approximately 4:25 in the morning, sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call of an injured male," said Geauga County Sheriff Daniel McClelland at a Thursday afternoon news conference. "Responding deputies would learn that Dan Swan, 17, of Thompson Township, had been found on Sidley Road by a friend. Dan Swan suffered injuries to his head, was taken to Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital where, tragically, about three weeks later he would succumb to those injuries and pass away."

A huge number of tips and leads poured into the sheriff's office after the incident. Many involved references to a party Swan had attended earlier in the evening, but no facts gathered linked the party or any party attendees to the assault on the victim, he added.

It was an investigation into an unrelated burglary case in July 2012 that led to the suggestion of a suspect in the attack on Swan.

"We came to learn that on that fateful night, a Ford F150 pickup truck driven by Matthew Boone along with a passenger, Dustin Plottke, were traveling on Sidley Road when they encountered Dan Swan walking down the road," McClelland said. "The passenger, Dustin Plottke, in concert with actions by the driver, deliberately opened the door of the pickup truck striking Dan Swan and knocking him into the ditch."

The truck drove a short distance before turning around and driving back toward Swan, who had managed to pull himself out of the ditch, he added. The investigation revealed Boone and Plottke exited their vehicle, confronted the victim and Plottke then struck Swan in the back of the head with a pipe-like object.

Leaving Swan bleeding and unconscious in the middle of the road, the two suspects left the scene. Swan, who had just graduated Ledgemont High School weeks earlier, never regained consciousness.

The Rev. Mark Spansel, pastor of Leroy Community Chapel, read a statement from Swan's family:

"It's so hard to write this, to condense our thoughts about Daniel and our feelings about what is happening now to a statement. Daniel was a kind-hearted, gentle and compassionate son. A wonderful friend to so many, always ready with a bear hug. He had grown into a young man with faith in God and a wonderful dry sense of humor who cared about people who were hurting, lost dogs and who made breakfast and tea for his mom.

"He was planning to become a psychologist or a nurse. He dearly hoped to travel to Ireland, he really loved his Irish heritage. He looked very Irish, which he liked. All of us are all poorer for having him taken from us. Our lives have been changed forever since he was brutally attacked and there has not been one day that has gone by that our hearts do not deeply mourn his absence in our home. A void has been torn that only our faith can begin to bridge.

"It is so difficult to conceive the depth of this evil that kills innocent people and can then go on day after day without remorse or guilt. While it will not relieve our pain, we believe this group of depraved individuals deserve the punishment allowed by the law for the heinous crimes they are guilty of committing. For us, there will be no such thing as closure until we reach the place our father in heaven has prepared and we share words and feelings with our son that we did not finish in this lifetime."

Geauga County Prosecutor James Flaiz said charges in the indictments against both men carry the potential for life sentences.

Both suspects have been in Geauga County custody for about a week.

"Dustin Plottke was in custody because he had recently been sentenced to a six-year term in prison for manufacturing methamphetamine in Ashtabula County and he was awaiting to be transferred to prison when he stopped over at our jail for some additional charges," Flaiz said.

Boone was arrested for his role in cutting up the truck and murder weapon once the police were able to ascertain that was what had occurred, McClelland said.

Lt. Scott Niehus, who supervised the Geauga County Sheriff's Office's investigation, said both suspects have criminal histories in Geauga and Ashtabula counties.

"Matthew Boone has convictions for theft, burglary and violation of restraining orders. There's a number of convictions that have been withheld that we're working to find out exactly what those convictions are," he said. "Dustin Plottke has convictions for (breaking and entering), burglary, illegal of manufacturing of drugs, unauthorized use of property, drug paraphernalia and possession of drugs... These are not unknown people to law enforcement."

Citing pending prosecution, McClelland kept his comments brief on the unrelated burglary that turned up a suspect connection to the Swan case, but did say one of the suspects was also a suspect in the burglary.

Any motive or reason for why the suspects attacked Swan remains unclear.

"(We don't have a motive) in what we would call a normal fashion. In other words, there was no bad debt and no relationship. We're not even sure they knew each other," McClelland said. "Perhaps (it was) more a crime of opportunity. A random act of violence."

In the days, months and years following Swan's attack and death, Niehus said the case did not leave the desk of any detective investigating the crime.

The crime, taking place in a small community, was felt deeply among law enforcement officers involved.

"Personally, and I'm sure the detectives feel the same, there's an obligation to the family. We owed the family the opportunity to know what happened," McClelland said.

Citing respect for the family, the sheriff did not discuss statements made by either suspect in regards as to why they might have committed the crime.

"I'd rather not get into statements made by either. The case is based on -- we've got sufficient evidence to warrant an indictment by the grand jury and to move forward with the process," he said.